2G scam: CBI gets SC nod to probe NGO secy Anil Kumar

The Supreme Court on Thursday gave the CBI go ahead to conduct an investigation against Anil Kumar, secretary of NGO Telecom Watchdog - one of the petitioners in the 2G scam before SC - for writing a letter to the CBI director giving a "virtual clean chit" to former Union minister Dayanidhi Maran in the Aircel-Maxis deal.

A bench of justice GS Singhvi and justice KS Radhakrishnan termed Kumar's letter as highly improper and said it deserved to be thrown into the dustbin. The court made it clear that the CBI must carry out an impartial inquiry against Maran.

Kumar sent the communiqué despite filing an affidavit before the court alleging Maran of arm-twisting Chennai-based promoter to sell his stakes in Aircel to Mayasian firm Axis while he was the telecom minister. Kumar also wrote an article in a magazine giving a clean chit to Maran.

It questioned Kumar's u-turn and observed: "We can clarify that this letter should not in any way affect the investigation and if you (CBI) think that this man has done something wrong you can proceed against him in accordance with law."

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, who is appearing both the NGOs - Central for Public Interest and Litigation and the Telecom Watchdog - said Kumar had not informed him about the publication of the article in the magazine and the letter to CBI.